


Knowing Time Betrays

by mazerly



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, F/F, Happy ending kinda?, Hurt/Comfort, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 04:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20186509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mazerly/pseuds/mazerly
Summary: Edelgard remembered many things. Including her own death(Time loop AU where the lords remember the different routes. Minor spoilers for every route)





	Knowing Time Betrays

**Author's Note:**

> 3H really came into my life and made me write fic, huh. Inspired by this wonderful art: https://twitter.com/bearsketches/status/1159825415814303746

There were many things Edelgard remembered. Stolen moments of peace during her academy days that she held close to her heart. The cries of her family and being powerless to stop it, vowing that their deaths would not be in vain and how none should be made to suffer like that again.

She remembers dying. Facing the end of Dimitri’s lance as he stood over her, his offerings of peace and a second chance. Byleth standing behind him, her face a mask as hard to read as ever, but Edelgard saw it. A look of pity flashing across her former teacher’s face. The next thing she remembers is throwing her dagger, giving it back to its original owner after so many years and a feeling of disgust overwhelming her. She didn’t want to wake back up.

* * *

It seemed as though this was divine punishment from the Goddess herself, forcing Edelgard to watch as her world crumbles under her own hands again. There was one stark difference, however, Byleth was leading the Golden Deer. Edelgard would watch from afar as her teacher worked closely with Claude. Watched as Dimitri began to give in to his own despair. It would come as no surprise when five years had passed and this time she found herself at the end of Byleth’s sword. Her teacher’s face showed more emotion this time; pity, empathy, sadness, and regret all warred behind those brilliant green eyes. She asked her teacher to kill her, and she genuinely wished that she had.

Dedue was not so merciful as to grant her a quick death.

* * *

When Edelgard woke again she nearly screamed. She knew what would happen today and she wasn’t ready. Wasn’t ready to meet Byleth for a third time. Wasn’t ready to become the monster she knew she had to be.

It seemed that fate would play even crueler jokes this time, though. Byleth was leading the Black Eagles and her eyes were determined now, she showed them all far too much kindness. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much more this time. Watching in the Tomb as Byleth hesitated, her sword raised and mouth open to speak before Hubert appeared to whisk them away. She met Byleth after five years, hidden away in the monastery to keep a foolish girl’s promise. She lashed out at her teacher then, vowed that they would next meet on the battlefield and steeled her heart once more. 

_ “I wanted to walk with you.” _

Byleth didn’t hesitate this time.

* * *

Edelgard screamed when she woke. She told the guards it had simply been a bad dream, that a rat had made its way into her tent. Dimitri and Claude didn’t seem convinced, but neither pressed the issue. They looked much more tired than Edelgard ever remembered seeing them. She met Byleth for a fourth time, was saved once again by her beloved teacher. This time though the blue-haired woman carried herself with a different air. Edelgard wouldn’t call it confidence, self-assured maybe, and that only worried her more. The return to the monastery was in relative silence and for once Edelgard missed Claude’s ramblings. Her own thoughts were too loud and she feared what would happen next.

Byleth had chosen to lead the Black Eagles once again. Edelgard was stunned, she refused to get her hopes up. Refused to let her heart beat faster when Byleth would invite her to tea or to share a meal with her and another one of her classmates. Refused to let her walls come crashing down for those more frequent half-smiles and lingering glances.

When she chanced upon her teacher at the Goddess Tower the night of the ball she felt her walls beginning to crack. She found herself telling the story of her parents meeting there and of her childish belief in true love. She’s not sure even Hubert knew about this side of her. Byleth’s eyes were filled with affection now and Edelgard almost wished they weren’t.

Edelgard had learned to dread when the Pegasus Moon appeared. It spelled the end for her academy days and the beginning of her descent. Always a descent. During their first free day, however, Byleth approached her and Edelgard couldn’t stop the words from spilling out of her mouth,

_“Would you come to the capital with me?”_

Byleth stood by her side as she was coronated, her teacher radiated nothing but pride and Edelgard knew then that she was doomed. In the weeks that followed, her nightmares came in greater frequency. They were no longer of her family crying for salvation, but of her teacher standing against her in each lifetime. Hubert almost suggested delaying their plans but one glare had been enough to silence him. She couldn’t risk this being the one lifetime where she succeeds. Or the one lifetime where she’s finally allowed to rest once it’s all over.

Just like every time before, Edelgard found herself at her teacher’s mercy. She knew this would happen and she was prepared for Hubert to appear and take them away. Her head had been lowered in defeat, she had learned two lifetimes ago how to block out Rhea’s mad rantings.

“You… How dare you!”

That was new. Edelgard snapped to attention to see her teacher moving to stand in front of her, the Sword of the Creator now pointed in Rhea’s direction. Everything that happened next was a blur. She remembers Hubert appearing like always, but then it was Rhea who brought down the Tomb having revealed herself as the Immaculate One. Suddenly she’s outside and the rest of her house is there and for the first time in what feels like ages, Edelgard doesn’t know what will happen next. The attack against the monastery goes much better than expected and Edelgard can only thank her teacher’s calming presence for that.

In every life, her teacher has never fallen. Never wavered or shown weakness. So when the Immaculate One starts to bring the entire monastery down around them, Edelgard can only watch in horror as Byleth disappears under the rubble. When the dust settles and her scouts report that the Church is completely gone she runs towards the ruins. With the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force she searches desperately for their beloved teacher. The days turned into weeks and then months, but no sign of Byleth was ever found. Part of her was glad. With no body there would never be a confirmation of her death, but that fact did little to comfort Edelgard as the months turned into years.

The war continued on and Edelgard felt herself getting closer and closer to her goal. She had known long ago that the path she had chosen was filled with sacrifice and while she would never admit it out loud, on cold and quiet nights she found herself wondering if the sacrifice of her teacher was too big a price. Those lifetimes had taught Edelgard what loneliness truly was, but now there was an emptiness in her heart that seemed to grow each day.

On the day of the millennium festival Edelgard felt herself being drawn toward the Goddess Tower. She knew it was foolish to cling to that small sliver of hope that her teacher would appear as she did a lifetime ago but if she learned anything about herself these last five years, it’s that her heart still yearned to be close to another and no amount of self-chastising would change that. 

The quiet footsteps behind her should have set her on edge, her hand should have been on her dagger immediately but she ignored every one of her instincts and turned slowly to see her teacher standing there, hands braced on her knees and looking slightly out of breath. Did she run here?

“It can’t be… Professor?!”

Byleth shot her a lopsided grin and mumbled a quiet apology. Edelgard wanted to scream. She wanted to scream and yell and let out four lifetime's worth of frustrations out in that very moment at her poor teacher. She settled for questioning the other woman, her traitorous voice letting her feelings slowly start to seep through. At least Byleth had the decency to look guilty.

Her body moved on its own then, wrapping her teacher in a tight embrace that she never wanted to let go of. It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to have Byleth simply slip from her grasp like that. 

“Do you… still feel the way you did all those years ago?”

It was barely a whisper.

“You said then that you would fight at my side no matter how many enemies we should amass.”

Edelgard tightened her grasp on Byleth’s coat, her body was trembling. She spoke slowly, regaining her composure as she moved away to look Byleth directly in the eyes. They were filled with determination, admiration, and… adoration?

“So, my teacher… Are you prepared to stand with me?”

“I am.”

“I… I thank you. Truly. Now-” her words died on her lips as Byleth’s hand was now on her cheek, wiping away tears that Edelgard didn’t know she was shedding. Byleth gave her another smile, her genuine ones were truly a rare gift indeed, and suddenly the tears wouldn’t stop. The almighty Adrestian Emperor found herself sobbing into her teacher’s shoulder, holding onto her as if her life depended on it. Byleth simply held her close,

“I promise, I will proudly walk the path alongside you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I love time loops and also suffering as evidenced by the title coming from The Edge of Dawn. I might want to write Byleth's POV at some point actually?


End file.
